


It Started Small

by Fangirl_Deluxe14



Series: Secrets and Fallouts [1]
Category: NCIS
Genre: Coming Out, Competent Tony DiNozzo, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-10
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2019-03-16 07:13:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,277
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13631298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fangirl_Deluxe14/pseuds/Fangirl_Deluxe14
Summary: It started small, coming out to the team. But then the rings came and everything changed.





	It Started Small

It starts small.  Slowly, and it's really slow, Tony stops talking about women.  He becomes more focused on his work.  Doesn't goof around as much. When Ziva and McGee begins to ask him about his lack of goofing around, he simply shrugs and just says he's matured.  Abby begins asking if he's sick or dying, both of which he denies.

 

 Then comes the hickeys.  Consistent, dark bruises worn with pride to work, gaining the attention of one Leroy Jethro Gibbs.  Of course, he is the one that put them there, per Tony’s request, but it fills him with a deep sense of satisfaction to know Tony is finally ready to come out about their relationship.  He, however, doesn't change his behavior at all.

 

 Until one fateful day, Saturday, October 22, 2011, when he enters the bullpen with a fresh cup of coffee, to overhear his agents discussing Tony’s hickeys.

 

 “They cannot be female, McGee”, Ziva insists.  “I'm sure Tony has found himself a male lover.  I, for one, do not believe it will last long.”

 

 “Yeah, we all know Tony’s track record”, McGee adds.

 

 “And this is related to our case why? We've got a dead petty officer”, Gibbs barks, but he makes a mental note to talk to Tony that night.  Said agent is luckily down with Abby and doesn't hear his teammates gossip about him.

 

 “Sorry, boss.” McGee scurries back to his desk and begins rattling off every fact he’s found on their suspect, which Tony has already explained to Gibbs while McGee was down with Abby.

 

 “We know all this, McGee, get me something new”, Gibbs barks at him and sits down at his desk.  “Phone records, bank records, do something useful”, he adds harshly, making McGee flinch at his tone and hurry to get to work.

 

 At home that evening Jethro and Tony sits down on the couch to enjoy a beer before bed.

 

 “I think it’s time, Tone.  We should wear the rings tomorrow” Gibbs says, running his hand through the soft hair of his husband.  “I can’t hear them pushing you down about your relationship anymore.  It drives me crazy.”

 

 Tony nods softly, pushing his head into Gibbs’ hand, his own left hand adorned with a simple platinum band.  “Okay, Jethro.  We’ll wear them to work tomorrow”, he agrees with a smile, looking up at his husband.  “Now let’s clean up and head to bed.”

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

Sunday, October 23, 2011

 

 The next morning they go to work together and settled at their desks, arriving before Ziva and McGee as usual.  They don’t act any differently than they had the past few weeks, but it doesn’t take long for McGee to notice the ring on Gibbs’ finger.

 

 “Umm… Boss?”

 

 “What, McGee?” Gibbs looks up and shot him a dangerous glare.

 

 “Did… Did you get married again?” He asks cautiously, eyes zeroed in on Gibbs’ left hand.

 

 “Yeah.  Your point, McGee?” Gibbs keeps up the glare.  “Did you… When?”

 

 “One year ago, McCurious” Tony answers for his husband.  “Gibbs got married one year, three months and… fifteen days ago.”  He looks up at Tim, shooting him a grin.

 

“You were there?” Tim asks incredulously.  “Well, duh, McNosy.”  Holding up his own left hand, he shows off his identical ring.  “I’d have to be, wouldn’t I? Ya know, considering I’m the one he married.  Say hi to Anthony ‘Tony’ DiNozzo-Gibbs”  Tony says smugly and got out of his seat, going over to the team lead and leaning down, closing his lips over Gibbs’.  Gibbs kisses back instinctively, a hand sliding into his hair as he pulled him closer.  After a few moments, he uses the same hand to break them apart.

 

 Ziva and McGee, and the rest of the squad room, watches them in shock.  Then, a voice booms from the balcony.  “Agent DiNozzo, Agent Gibbs, my office. NOW!” Leon barks harshly, the agents in question shooting each other sheepish grins before they burst out laughing.

 

 Gibbs stands, taking Tony’s outstretched hand.  They walk together up the stairs, still chuckling quietly with each other.

 

 The pair follows Vance into the office and closes the door.  “Anything you want to tell me, boys?” Leon asks after sitting down.

 

 “We're married.  And either you keep me on Gibbs's team or I resign.  Fornell has a standing offer to join FBI should anything happen here to make me leave.  So does Morrow over at Homeland”, Tony states, holding his husband's hand.

 

 “I can't keep you on his team as his subordinate, you know the regulations.”

 

 “Well, then you'll have my resignation by the end of the day.  And Fornell will be pleased to take me off your hands”, Tony says matter-of-factly.

 

 “What I can do, is make you co-leader of the MCRT.” Vance can't lie, he enjoys seeing the different emotions fleet across the faces of the agents in front of him.

 

 “You wouldn't be boss and subordinate, and that you've been able to keep this relationship secret for so long proves that you can keep it professional.” He continues.  “I have no doubt you can keep it that way.” 

 

 Tony and Gibbs nod, looking at each other with soft smiles on their faces.

 

 “The promotion is effective immediately”, Leon continues.

 

 “Will we take on more agents to our team?” Tony asks.  “Two team leads will mean we can cover more ground, but it also demands more personnel”

 

 “I’ll deliver you personnel files of agents you can take on by the end of the day.  I expect two new Senior Field Agents as well. You two know as well as I do McGee is not ready for a position like that.”

 

 Gibbs nods, looking at Leon.  “Is that all, Leon?”

 

 “Oh, and you’ll have to register your marriage and address change with HR. Because I assume DiNozzo has moved in with you?” Vance looks at them expectantly.  Tony’s face flushed slightly and he glances between Gibbs and Vance.  “Yes, I have.  The apartment is still there, empty.  I’ll put it up for sale once the market improves”, Tony smiles slightly, shrugging as he takes a step back.  “And while my name officially is DiNozzo-Gibbs, I would prefer to be referred to as just DiNozzo.” He shoots Vance a grin.  “I’ll head down to HR and file the changes immediately, director.  For both myself and Gibbs.”

 

 Tony leaves the office unceremoniously, leaving Gibbs and Vance alone.

 

 “So, Gibbs… You never told me you looked both ways”, Vance grins at the silver-haired man.

 

 “Never became a subject of conversation, Leon”, Gibbs shoots back with a half-smirk of his own.  “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going back to work, we’ve got a case.”  He leaves the room much like his husband had just done and goes back down to the bullpen, where Ziva and McGee were still a bit in shock.

 

 “What? Get back to work”, Gibbs barks as he sits back down at his desk.

  
 Soon enough Tony returns from HR with a grin on his face, strutting back to his desk.  He sits down and goes back to work as normal, ignorant at the staring and curious eyes of his team members.

 

 “What did Vance want?”  McGee finally asks.  “He didn’t fire you, did he?”

 

 “He promoted me to co-team lead”, Tony says simply.  “Boss/subordinate relationships generally aren’t supported, but since we’ve worked together for so long without our personal life affecting our work, we can stay on the same team.  Not as Supervisory Agent and Senior Field Agent, but as Supervisory Agents.”

 

 “So, I’m going to be the SFA now?” McGee asks, he feels ready and, if he has to say it himself, better qualified than Tony to do it.

 

 “No”, Gibbs says.  “Leon will bring down personnel files for us to look at, bring in two SFAs, one for each team lead.  We’ll also take on two more junior agents, McGee.”  He hides a smirk as he watches McGee’s grin fall off his face.  “B-But boss?”

 

 “But nothing, McJealousy, get back to work”, Tony snaps, glaring at the agent with an intensity that rivaled Gibbs’.  “We’re still in the middle of a case.  Have you done _anything_ while I was away?”

 

 “U-uh, no, I’m still working on the bank records, there’s not much.” McGee is stammering again, something he hasn’t done in years.  Clearly being put in his place by Tony isn’t something he is comfortable with.

 

 Tony looks up in front of himself to find Ziva eyeing him questioningly and shoots her a glare as well.

 

 “Nice prank, Tony, it’s really not that funny”, she says monotonously.

 

 “Nice prank? It’s not a prank, agent David”, Tony answers coolly.  “Agent Gibbs and I have been married for one year, three months and fifteen days.  And did you really think he would agree to such a prank?  Have you not noticed how I matured in the past months?  I’ve grown up, and I suggest you do the same, agent David.  Now back to work, we’ve got a killer to catch.”

 

*~*~*~*~*

 

 Tony and Jethro arrives home late that night, large stacks of files in their arms and a killer behind bars.  Tony dumps his stack of files on the coffee table and slumps onto the couch.  “I don’t get it.  Why does Ziva still think our marriage is a joke?” He asks his husband, who sat next to him with his own stack.  

 

 “I don’t know, Tone.” Jethro opens the first file and begins reading through it.  “Let’s find two Senior Field Agents and then we can talk about what to do with our current team, because they have grown cocky and forgotten the chain of command lately. Especially McGee.”

 

 “I didn’t know my teasing and jokes had undermined my authority to them that much, Jeth. I was just trying to lighten the mood.”  Tony opens a file of his own and immediately tosses it away, just looking at the first page made him dismiss the agent as unfitting for the team.

 

 “I know you were, Tone.  It worked too.  And I know you enjoy the head slaps.”  Gibbs smiles, before sighing as he too closed a file, putting it away and grabbing another.

 

 “I do.  I kind of miss earning them at work just to get you to touch me.  And don’t think I forgot the time you slapped my ass in the conference room.” Tony glances over at Gibbs with a slight grin.  “I remember thinking we were so lucky nobody questioned it.”

 

 “More of a tap than a slap, Tone.” “Yeah, whatever you say, old man.  I swear you get turned on by head slapping me.”

 

 “Like you don't”, Gibbs retorts with a smirk.  “We need to choose two SFAs for our team tonight, and find out how to handle Ziva and McGee.  They need to learn how to treat you like a team lead.”  Tony nods and continues looking through files.  Finally, they settle on two agents, Stan Burley and Alexandra Quinn.  Both good agents who fit the team well, and Tony had gotten over his jealousy of Stan ages ago.  Right before he and Gibbs married, in fact.

 

 Tony puts the two files aside and turns to face Gibbs.  “Now that that's out of the way, co-team lead, what are we going to do about our current team members?  I want them to know this isn't a joke.  That what we have and all of this is a real thing.  And that they cannot keep acting the way they have been towards us. Towards me.  Remember that they turned off the radio on me when I was out scoping that posh neighborhood.  They left me without backup then, and I've never really been able to trust them since.  I mean, I trust them when I have to, but I have done most of the work myself lately.”

 

 Gibbs nods softly.  “I've noticed you've changed your act towards them since then, even before we agreed that you would stop talking about your adventures with women.  You shut yourself off a little at work.  I know you've been the one to do a lot of the work for the two of them, and that's gotta change, Tone.  Especially now.  You have to make them do their own work.”

 

 “Yeah, I know, Jeth.  Starting tomorrow, things will be different from now on.  A good different.”  Tony leans over and kisses him softly.  “I won’t let them get away with things like that anymore, they have to know we can’t accept their behavior.”

 

 Gibbs nods as he wraps his arm around Tony’s waist, pulling him close.  “Yeah.  Now, enough talking.  It’s time for bed.”  He shoots the younger man a grin as he stands, pulling Tony along with him.  Tony stumbles and almost falls into Gibbs’s arms.

 

 “One year of marriage, seven years of being together, and I still can’t get used to you doing that”, he laughs and pushes himself up, kissing the other man’s lips.  “Can’t say I dislike it, though.  Unfortunately for me.”  He pulls back and walks to the stairs, knowing Gibbs would follow him.  At least he’s learnt to get used to Gibbs walking behind him up the stairs, even though he knows it was only so the man could stare at his ass.  Not that he minded.

 

 They take turns in the bathroom before falling into bed together, tangling together.  They share a few slow and caring kisses before they settle, Tony resting his head on Gibbs’s chest as the older man wraps his arms around him. Falling asleep together, they both dream about the days to come, the changes to the team, and what it would do for them.

**Author's Note:**

> As always, kudos and comments are appreciated


End file.
